Patricia Ryan (Kildare South, Sinn Fein)
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346. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the progress being made on the European Research Area regarding gender equality; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18940/22]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Ensuring gender equality is a core EU value and one of Europe's main research and innovation priorities. While progress has been made in recent years, significant challenges remain. As highlighted by recent European reviews, gender inequalities persist in research and innovation systems across Europe and there is a gap between the adoption of policies and strategies at EU and national level and their implementation at institutional level.

The new European Research Area policy framework, which was adopted by EU Research and Innovation Ministers in November 2021, reaffirms Member States’ commitment to promote and support gender equality and foster inclusiveness. It prioritises the implementation of the actions identified in the 2021 Ljubljana Declaration on Gender Equality in Research and Innovation, which was endorsed by a large majority of Member States – including Ireland.

Ireland has made significant progress in recent years and is often cited as an example of best practice in European discussions. As part of the Irish gender equality framework in higher education, the Higher Education Authority's Centre of Excellence for Gender Equality was established in June 2019, evolving into the Centre of Excellence for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in August 2020. Among our main research and innovation related actions is a requirement to promote gender equality to access research funding. Only higher education institutions that have at least an Athena SWAN bronze institutional award can apply for funding from Ireland’s main research funders.

I am committed to working with my European counterparts to ensure a renewed focus on progressing gender equality related issues at European and national level.